Towns, cities and prefectures have been taking faster action than the central government to eradicate ethnic discrimination since the 2016 enactment of the law against hate speech.
Despite progress in municipalities where a sense of crisis is growing, including Kawasaki, the western Tokyo suburb of Kunitachi and Osaka, some governments say there is only so much that can be done without state action. And those reluctant to take tougher steps are conscious of the need to protect freedom of speech.
Hate speech often includes threats to kill people of certain nationalities, insults — such as comparing certain groups to cockroaches or other creatures — and alienating remarks like "Go back to your home country."